Of Coffee and Romance
by The Renowned Obscurity
Summary: AU. When Barry applied to work at Riley's Cafe, the experience wasn't anything he expected. With unique coworkers, crazy customers, a rival cafe, and an obnoxious purple-haired male, how is Barry to survive? Barry/Paul, Riley/Dawn, Buck/Marley, and more.
1. Meeting Them

**I really shouldn't be starting a new story, but a plotbunny hit me and it just warped into so much more. Also, the world needs more Coldcoffeeshipping, especially after Jun appeared in the anime and made the couple one-sided canon, hell yeah.**

**Oh that note, there's also going to be IronWillshipping and OppositesAttract as the other mains, and some EliteUnder, friendshippy(?)Ignition, one-sided Snazzy, platonic GirlPower, and whatever the hell CynthiaxReggie is on the side. Sounds like fun, amirite?**

**Remember, this is AU so I screwed with the characters' ages. I can only give rough estimates (Damion is 18, Riley is the oldest, everyone else is somewhere in between). Also, I messed with Cynthia's character a bit to make things more interesting. =P And Riley's Café is like a coffee shop mixed with a restaurant mixed with a mid café, because I can.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, and that sucks. D: Also, the idea of Damion working at a café was originally used by Astromelia, and she partially inspired me to write this, although she doesn't know.**

* * *

**Prologue: Meeting Them**

Hands shoved deep within his fleece-lined pockets and chin buried in his lime-green scarf, Damion paced back and forth in front of the small building, orange eyes occasionally glancing up at the words emblazoned above the doorway in white paint.

'_Riley's Café'. _Next to it was a painting of a blue cup filled to the brim with steaming coffee.

_'Well that's original,'_ Damion thought wryly as he continued to pace, wearing tracks in the freshly fallen snow. His eyes kept darting to and from the 'Help Wanted' sign posted in the window. He was sure he must look absolutely silly to anyone who noticed him. Taking one last look at the sign, Damion sighed and pushed open the door, a metallic bell chiming overhead.

He came face to face with a pale girl wearing a black and white Lolita-style dress. Her black hair was pushed up in the back, held there by a large white bow. She seemed entirely monochromatic, down to her dark, emotionless eyes.

"…Welcome to Riley's Café. Feel free to sit anywhere, and I can take your order whenever you are ready…" She bowed slightly, but got no response from Damion, who was too busy surveying the shop.

To his left, there was a fireplace, complete with a roaring fire. Stuffed blue armchairs were scattered around flanked by small tables littered with various book and magazines. To his right, there were small booths, like you would generally see at a restaurant.

"Um excuse me…sir?" the girl quietly interrupted.

"Oh right sorry! I was actually hoping to speak to the manager here… About the job opening!" Damion gestured to the sign in the window.

"Oh… Let me get him…" She vanished in a flash, disappearing behind the counter and into the back. Damion took this opportunity to take another look around. The place…was completely empty.

_'Maybe they're having some hard times,'_ he thought. _'Not unlike myself…'_ He began to tap his foot impatiently, the clock on the wall slowly ticking away. She sure was taking long enough…

Just as the back door behind the counter opened and the girl emerged with a much taller man, the bell chimed as the front door flew open, sending in gusts of cold air and flurries of snow. Damion was nearly thrown across the room from the force of it all.

"Sorry I'm late!" a blonde woman exclaimed, standing in the doorway panting. She was wearing a similar dress as the other girl, only resembling more of a maid's outfit.

"It's unlike you to be late Cynthia," the man behind the counter said, but there was a smile playing on his lips. Damion hadn't really had the chance to take in his overall appearance before… He was very tall and slim, with dark blue hair that stuck out at odd angles. He was very well dressed, in what was almost like a suit. It looked more like a what a butler or a waiter at a high-end restaurant would wear, unfitting for the shabby little coffee shop, Damion thought. Still, the man was handsome to say the least, with very charming features.

"I know, I know!" the woman at the door said, taking a moment to warm up. "But I was reading some fascinating article online about a discovery made at the ruins in South America that I've been studying up on and –"

"All right, all right," Riley interrupted, holding up his hands. "I get it. Just get ready for work."

"Wait," she said, finally noticing the blond boy standing there awkwardly. "Who's this?" Damion blushed and opened his mouth to explain, but the tall man interjected.

"I was about to find that out," he said, stepping out from behind the counter. "I'm Riley, owner of this café. And you are…?"

"Damion!" he piped up, shaking Riley's hand enthusiastically. "I saw the 'Help Wanted' sign in the window and was hoping I could get an application."

Riley gazed at him for a moment, making Damion grow steadily uncomfortable.

"You're hired," he said finally.

"What, wait? You're hiring me?!" Damion exclaimed, staring at him in disbelief.

"Unless you've changed your mind about wanting the position…"

"No, no! It's just… No application, no interview, or any of that?"

Riley shook his head. "Nah. You have a good aura about you. I think you would make a great addition to the team!" He beamed down at the blond.

"Sweet! So when do I start?" Damion asked.

"Whenever you're ready, I suppose," Riley replied. "But there is the problem of a suitable uniform…"

"Well don't you have another outfit like yours? I think I would look rather sharp in it, if I do say so myself." Damion grinned and winked haughtily. Behind the counter, the dark haired girl rolled her eyes.

"Hey! That's not very nice…you…? What's your name now?" the blond boy asked, face pink.

"Oh pardon my poor manners!" Riley exclaimed. "I forgot to introduce you to everyone! That's Cynthia, assistant manager, who also helps me brew the coffee," he explained, gesturing to the blonde woman.

She waved, smiling brightly. "Nice to meet you!"

"And behind the counter is Marley. You'll help wait tables with her." She nodded in brief acknowledgment, but said nothing more. "Now about your uniform…" Riley trailed off before disappearing into the back room, Cynthia on his tail. He returned a moment later holding…

"A dress?!"

Riley chuckled nervously. "Well you see… We expected our new employee to be a female so we only bought a female uniform."

"…Actually, only Cynthia expected this…," Marley explained.

"Well it's not my fault the girl's uniforms are cuter!" Cynthia huffed. "Still, I think it would suit you Damion!" She winked playfully.

"I…cannot wear that," Damion said, never taking his eyes off the dress. All those ruffles and frills…

"Well it _is_ required," Riley reasoned. "And it would only be for one day, I promise. I'll get you a proper uniform as soon as possible."

Cynthia gazed at Damion, grinning slyly, while Marley stared on, eyebrows raised in intrigue.

"And do you see how empty this place is?" Riley asked. He then paused, a slight frown creasing his face, although it disappeared only a moment later. "So chances are no one you know will see you wearing it."

Damion sighed in defeat. "Fine, I guess. If it let's me keep this job, I _have _to." He reluctantly grabbed the dress, subconsciously turning his nose up at it. Cynthia and Marley both giggled, and Riley had to bite his lip to suppress his laughter. Unfortunately for Damion, his first day on the job was not going to be an easy one…

* * *

**Hooray, finished! It's short, I know, but the chapters are supposed to be this way - small, somewhat discordant snippets of the characters lives, all somehow intertwining in the end.**

**I'm actually really excited to continue writing this (although I'm doing it all out of order and taking it tiny scene at a time, and just working with it until it grows into something more). With that said, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing this, and will support me as I try to bring something a bit different into the Pokemon fandom.**

**So review, yes?**


	2. Meeting Him

**Wow, people actually reviewed last chapter! I can't help but be pleasantly surprised! So thanks!**

**This chapter's a bit longer, introduces a few new characters, and sets the basis for some CCshipping moments later. It also contains cross dressing (if this wasn't obvious from the last chapter) and snarky comments.  
Also, just as a note, each chapter will focus more on a different character or relationship. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. This will remain true for the rest of this fic, so don't yell at me if I don't us a disclaimer.**

* * *

**Meeting Him**

As Damion emerged from the back room of Riley's Café, he looked down at his outfit, grimacing. Audible snickers could be heard coming from Riley, Cynthia, and Marley, no matter how hard they tried to stifle them.

"Well I was right," Cynthia said, grinning. "It _does _suit you." Riley and Marley nodded in agreement.

Damion blushed slightly, but recovered. "Bah, dress or not, I'm gonna be the best waiter this place has seen!" He punched the air with a fist, fired back up again. A smile crept onto Riley's face. He definitely didn't make a mistake in hiring this guy…

OOO

"Waiter, could I get another coffee?"

"Oh waiter, you haven't taken out orders!"

"Waiter!"

Riley had never seen his shop so bustling with people since he first opened. The coffee orders kept piling in, and he and Cynthia were working double time. The same could be said for Damion and Marley, though their jobs were more hectic, juggling orders and serving coffee.

Balancing a tray on one hand, Damion weaved his was through the tables, handing patrons their coffee, scribbling down orders, and taking great care not to spill anything.

"Hey Marley, there are more people waiting at the door!" Damion shouted, swerving to avoid two people who had just stood up from their table. He swooped down to grab the tip before continuing on his way.

"I'm a bit busy at the moment…" Marley replied, jotting down the orders of a group of preteens, who were either whispering excitedly, snickering at Damion, or fawning over Riley behind the counter.

"Man this sucks," one of them whispered. "Of all days for the new place to be shut down…"

"Hey, at least the owner of this one is cute…" another replied.

Rolling her eyes, Marley strode over and handed the sheet of paper to Cynthia, who added it to the ever-growing pile. Damion has hoped Marley would be able to take care of the rather sour looking customer waiting at the door, but she was called over to another table. Sighing, Damion held his tray to his side, putting on a faux smile.

"Welcome to Riley's! Please, take a seat anywhere and I will take your order whenever you're ready."

The purple haired customer made no movements, and instead scrutinized Damion with his cold, mirthless eyes. Then something resembling a smile appearing on his face, although it was more like a cruel smirk.

"No wonder business sucks here. Everyone's scared off by the cross dresser."

Damion gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to sock the other male right in his mouth. It _was _his first day after all, and he couldn't go off getting fired already.

"If business sucks," Damion began, "how do you explain all these people?"

"Simple," the purple haired man replied, striding over to an empty table. "Today, you lack competition."

Damion was puzzled. What competition? Though it would explain how slow business had been up until today, according to Riley...

When Damion didn't reply, the other male only scowled. "I knew someone pathetic like you wouldn't understand the concepts of business." Damion opened his mouth to protest, but he was cut off by the cruel voice of the man. "Now I would like what I came in here for – coffee. Black."

The blond couldn't help but upturn his nose at the customer's coffee choice. _'But why am I not surprised this jerk likes his coffee bitter?' _

Damion handed the order to Riley before picking up a few cups for the waiting customers. He sped through the café, dropping off cup after cup on each table. Riley tapped a bell on the countertop, signaling another order was ready to be delivered. Damion sighed as he stared into the cup filled with black coffee, sitting alone on the counter. If only Marley had seated the jerk and not him…

"Here's your coffee," Damion said, handing the purple haired man the cup, his voice sickly sweet.

"Didn't you know?" he said as soon as the blond began to walk away.

"Know what?" Damion wasn't stupid, but this guy needed to stop being so damn cryptic.

"A new, cutting-edge café just opened up down the street," the purple haired male informed Damion. _'A new shop? Riley hadn't mentioned anything about that…'_

"Unfortunately, it's closed today for some last minute moderations," he continued, voice deadpan. Taking a sip from the cup, he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "And that's precisely why everyone was forced to come to this shabby place to drink mediocre coffee."

Damion clenched his fists, orange eyes glowering intensely at the other male. "Well if you don't like this place, then why did you even bother to come?!"

There was that unpleasant smirk again… "Because I heard rumors that a cute new waitress was working. And I was fortunate enough to have her as my server."

That was it. Damion didn't hesitate to drop his tray to the ground, his already-clenched fist connecting with the other's man's face. The punch landed on his cheekbone, right below the eye with a sickening smack. The blond simply stood there, breathing heavily as he glared at the purple haired man. He gingerly touched the swelling spot on his face before gazing up calmly at Damion.

Riley rushed over to the scene in an attempt to aid the injured party, who simply brushed him off with the wave of a hand. Damion watched him stand up and leave, the glare never leaving his face. The entire café was deadly silent, staring intently at the blond boy in a dress.

Riley quickly ushered him to the back, and hushed conversation resumed up front, undoubtedly about what just unfolded.

"Damion! What the _hell_ were you thinking?!" Riley exclaimed. It was rare for the manager to lose his cool, but never before had violence broken out in his café, let alone by one of his employees.

"I wasn't, sorry," Damion replied, failed an disguising the scorn in his voice. "But you should've heard some of the crap he was saying!"

"That doesn't matter Damion. It's apart of the job. You get mean customers, you get nice customers, but you have to treat them all the same, as hard as it may be."

"But-!" Damion began, a pleading look in his eyes.

"No buts." Riley replied sternly, glancing out the small glass window looking out into the café. "Business is slowing down now, so I just want you to clean up and go home. Take some time to cool off. …Actually, why don't you just take tomorrow off as well? I know the first day can be rough."

"But, I'm not fired, right?" Damion asked.

"Damn lucky you aren't. But I don't expect anything like this to happen again, am I right?" The blond nodded meekly. "Good, not get back out there." Riley clapped him on the back, propelling him out the door. Cynthia opened her mouth, about to barrage Damion with questions, until she caught the dangerous look in Riley's eye.

_'Guess it's best to keep my mouth shut about it now…'_

Most of the café patrons were clearing out, leaving Marley and Damion to collect any tips and wipe the tables off. The only people left were two males, sharing an armchair by the fire. When Damion glanced over in their direction, the younger-looking one with light green hair and a major cowlick came bounding over to him.

"Hey man! That was a nice punch you threw back there!"

"Uh, thanks?" Damion replied bashfully. He wasn't expecting to get _praised_ for what he did…

"What did he do to get you all riled up like that?" he asked.

"Called me a girl," the blond replied, tone resentful.

"Well you _are _wearing a dress," the other boy reasoned. "But don't feel bad," he added in a whisper, "I've worn one too before, just because Lucian likes it." He gestured to the person he was sitting with previously; a purple haired man with lavender-tinted glasses, engrossed in a leather-bound novel. Damion was taken aback by the boy's lack of shame in admitting this, but shrugged it off.

"I'm Aaron by the way!"

"Damion." They shook hands before Aaron returned to his spot at Lucian's side. The blond quickly headed into the back to change out of his "uniform". _'Riley have better gotten the right one for me by the time I come back to work…'_

It was only his first day, and things were already hectic. Damion couldn't help but feel slightly relieved at having tomorrow off, although he was bounded to be restless all day. This new job gave him a way to expend his boundless energy… _'Hopefully that purple headed bastard won't ever come back here again and stick to his own stupid café.' _Damion thought sourly.

Generally though, things never seemed to go the blonde's way…

* * *

**Lame ending. D: But yay, Paul (although Damion doesn't know his name yet), Aaron, and Lucian all appeared! Aaron and Lucian will just be playing minor supporting roles later... As in they actually do have a reason for being there! All characters in this fic will be connected in one way or another, whether they just be friends, ex's, or a couple. Makes things seem less random.**

**Anyway, next chapter shifts focus onto Riley and a mysterious blue-haired girl... Does this mean some IronWillshipping?  
/coughyescough/**

**Well, please review, telling me what you thought! It would be greatly appreciated!**


	3. Meeting Her

**Well, I meant to update a bit sooner, but I lost track of time as usual…**

**This was actually the first chapter of this fic that was written. It started out as a small scene in my head and ended up evolving into the 2****nd**** chapter. Of course I had to fix some stuff so it went along with the previous chapter, but it was no big deal.**

**And thank you, thank you to my reviewers last chapter! I didn't expect to gain some more readers, but I did. So yes, thanks again. Now on with the chapter! By the way, game!Dawn is introduced in this chapter, hooray!**

* * *

**Meeting Her**

"Where did I go wrong Riley?" Cynthia sighed, slumping over. Her head thumped onto the countertop miserably.

"Please Cynthia, I just cleaned the counter," Riley chastised. She seemed to struggle as she lifted her forehead off the blue marble countertop. Frown creasing her face, Cynthia stared forlornly at the lavender haired male, Lucian, reading a novel in a plush armchair. The younger green-haired male Aaron was curled up at his side, looking positively blissful. A fire crackled in the grate beside them, and the people walking briskly outside glanced in with envy.

"Well you know what they say," Riley began, placing a comforting hand on Cynthia's shoulder, "All the good ones are either taken or gay." He smiled warmly down at her, making it rather clear he was only joking. Cynthia could only crack the most miniscule smile, which vanished in a matter of seconds when she spotted Lucian petting Aaron on the head affectionately.

"Well then why did he go out with me if he was gay?" Cynthia cried.

"He was probably just going through a period of confusion," Riley suggested, pulling a rag out of his pocket and polishing the countertop. "He clearly wasn't right for you."

He glanced outside through the large glass window at a group of girls walking by. They had stopped to peer inside, looking for the cross dressing boy no doubt. This wasn't the first time Riley had noticed girls passing by his shop, looking inside with interest. Maybe he shouldn't of let Damion have the day off today and force him to keep wearing the dress. It seemed good for business anyway… Riley completely zoned out, barely listening to Cynthia as she ranted on about how "intellectual, calm, and polite" Lucian was; "the perfect gentleman"…

The girls, clearly disappointed, has continued walking, only to reveal a lone blue-haired girl standing across the street and staring at the shop, letting the snow swirl around her. Riley gazed out at her with interest.

"You're not listening to me, are you?"

Riley shook his head rapidly. "Huh?"

"Humph. I knew it. What are you staring at anyway?" Standing on her tiptoes, Cynthia peered over Riley's shoulder, struggling to see past the flurries of snow falling from the thick gray clouds.

"Hn… Is that…Dawn?" she pondered aloud.

"Who?" Riley asked.

"I told her not to wear a skirt in this weather!" Cynthia suddenly exclaimed, blatantly ignoring his questioning. She stormed out of the coffee shop and across the street, long blonde hair whipping behind her. Riley just stood there, alone and confused.

"…You look lost," Marley commented dryly. He only nodded. "Cynthia again?" He nodded once more. Marley simply shrugged and continued to sweep the floor idly. Despite the weather, Riley's Café was next to empty once more. Either this new coffee shop was really affecting business, or having Damion wear a dress was really a way to pull in customers…

Cynthia and the blue haired girl, apparently named Dawn, burst into the shop a moment later, both shivering violently. Cynthia ushered Dawn over to the fire, the girl seemingly extremely interested in the toes of her pink boots. Her face was flushed pink, although whether it was from the cold or embarrassment was unknown.

"You warm up okay?" Cynthia said, placing a hand on Dawn's shoulders, words radiating as much warmth as the fire.

"What about you?" the blunette replied, looking at the blonde with concern.

"I'm fine! A bit of cold won't hurt me!"

"Do you know who that is?" Riley whispered to Marley, who ceased sweeping and leaned the broom up against the counter.

The black haired girl nodded. "Her name's Dawn. Cynthia introduced us once before…"

Riley nodded as Cynthia skipped over to them. "Gossiping about my friend, I see," she said, a sly look on her face. "What, are you interested Riley?" His face was tinged with the lightest shade of pink, barely discernable in the dim lighting of the café.

"I was just wondering why she was standing outside for so long," he replied, tone surprisingly convincing.

"Poor girl was too shy to come inside," Cynthia informed him, resting her chin in her hand. "You should go introduce yourself."

"I will. After all, it is the polite thing to do." Riley strode over to her, the girl gasping when she saw him approaching. She immediately looked back down at her shoes.

"Hi," he said, flashing a charming smile. "So you're Dawn right? I'm Riley, owner and manager here."

"H-hello," the blunette stammered, averting her eyes. Riley held out a hand and she hesitantly took it; he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her dainty hand. Dawn blushed furiously and Riley grinned widely.

Cynthia and Riley watched from afar with interest. "…What do you have planned?" Marley asked the blonde, glancing up at her with dark eyes.

"Me?" Cynthia replied innocently. "I haven't planned anything at all!"

And shockingly, this was true for the most part. With a little nudge, things would fall into place naturally…

* * *

**Short, I know, but this was actually supposed to be the average length of most chapters until I get carried away… ^^;;**

**Yeah, Dawn's really shy now, but she'll open up later. Riley's quite the charmer, ain't he? Haha.**

**Well I hope you enjoyed this little chapter; please tell me what you thought!  
The next one should be coming soon! It's time for some OppositesAttractshipping, and a few other fun characters to get thrown into the mix.**

**Until next time…**


	4. Meeting the Band

**Sorry, sorry again! As stated on my profile, I've been pretty much banned from the computer… But I occasionally pop back in, like now. Unfortunately, while I was originally really excited for this chapter, it didn't turn out as planned. It's hard juggling so many characters at once…  
****And gah Buck is hard to characterize in an AU fic for me… So yeah, this is a failed attempt at OppositesAttractshipping.**

**Still, I thank my reviewers last chapter, waterfall42, Darth Meanie, SuicidalToeSocks, and twilightpath. You guys rock.**

* * *

**Meeting the Band**

Peace and quiet - this was the norm for Riley's Café. Riley and Marley both enjoyed this clam, but Damion, on the other hand, couldn't stand it.

"Ugh!" he exclaimed, throwing up his hands in exasperation. "There's nothing to do! I actually wish it was busy like last week…" The blond plopped down in an armchair and sighed heavily.

"I appreciate the silence thank you," Lucian commented, peering at him above his lavender-tinted glasses. Aaron was sprawled out on another armchair, snoring lightly. If only he was awake, maybe Damion would be entertained. Him and Aaron had become fast friends in the past week, as him and Lucian were regular customers. The purple haired man would occupy the same armchair nearly everyday, thick novel in hand. Damion personally didn't understand how the man could get so absorbed in a book. Still, that was Lucian's choice.

Damion felt himself slowly drifting off, the warmth from the fire seeping into his bones. The bell over the door then chimed, and the blond shot up, about to rush to the door.

"Yo Riley!" a boisterous voice exclaimed.

"…So much for the peace and quiet…" Marley muttered.

The owner of the voice, a man whose most unique feature had to be his large, bright-red afro, sauntered into the shop. Lucian rolled his eyes as Damion stifled a chuckle. The "clown", as Lucian mumbled under his breath, was followed by a blond man, who seemed to be hunched into his long blue coat. His ocean blue eyes displayed a steely indifference, maybe even a trace of boredom. Finally, there was a younger boy, whose fiery red hair, streaked with yellow, was pulled into a high ponytail. He bore a striking resemblance to the afro-ed man, just much less upbeat. Angry was more like it.

Instead of waiting to be seated, they strode up to the counter, where the first man leaned against it suavely.

"Lookin' good Cynthia," he said winking. She only laughed and grinned back at him.

"Could you please get your arm off the counter Flint?" Riley asked as politely as he could muster.

"Yeah, yeah," the red afro-ed man called Flint replied, taking a step back. "So uptight about touching the counters…" The blond then sidestepped his way to address Riley, his face as stoic as ever.

"The usual Volkner?" Riley asked him, the blond nodding in response. The younger redhead simply lingered back, a large frown marring his face. As Riley got to work brewing the coffee, Flint spun around, observing the café's other patrons.

"What's this? A new employee?" he pondered, referring to Damion.

"Yeah he just started working last week!" Cynthia interjected, vaulting over the counter to Riley's chagrin. Damion held up his hand in recognition, seemingly at a loss for words.

"So," Cynthia began, turning to Flint. "How's the band coming?"

"The flames of our band are just beginning to ignite!" he exclaimed. "We even got ourselves a roadie!" Flint patted the younger boy on the head affectionately, who scowled and folded his arms across his chest. "My little bro, Buck!"

"So basically, we have a roadie, but no name, bassist, or plans to spread word of our 'band'," Volkner said, finally speaking up.

"Hey, I'm working on it!" Flint said defensively, causing Cynthia to giggle.

"I'll play bass for you!" Aaron exclaimed, piping up. It seems as though the redhead's liveliness was even enough to wake Aaron. He practically leapt out of his seat to gaze at Flint and Volkner in admiration.

"Aaron, love, you don't even know how to play bass," Lucian reminded him. "I don't even know why you would want to waste your time with them anyway."

"Well I could learn!" Aaron huffed.

"Bah, don't listen to Lucian!" Flint said, clapping the green haired boy on the back. "He's a party-pooper anyway!"

"…Sounds like your band is coming along well," Marley remarked sarcastically.

"I think it's hopeless," Buck agreed, shooting a fleeting glance in the girl's direction. He flushed slightly as their eyes met, but Marley remained indifferent. Flint noticed this but shrugged and proceeded to look bored as Riley and Volkner lapsed into quiet conversation. Cynthia had disappeared, claiming it was her break time, right as Aaron snuggled up to Lucian's side.

"So…do you write your own songs?" Damion asked. The boy had been sitting still and silently for once, slightly overwhelmed at the presence of the newcomers, especially Flint.

"Actually," Flint replied, "Volkner over there writes our music. Lyricist, vocalist, and guitarist. You could say he's our silent front man."

"Please don't call me that," Volkner said, taking a sip of his coffee. "I really don't think there should be a front man in a two-man band…"

"Suit yourself Volkner," Flint said shrugging. "Still, when we make it big, you'll be the heartthrob all the teenage girls throw themselves at."

"…Only to get their hearts broken when they find out that their idol is gay for the drummer," Buck commented, hint of contempt and mockery in his tone. A small grin appeared on Marley's face as Volkner flushed slightly.

"Is this true Volky?!" Flint exclaimed, his flailing gestures bordering on over-dramatic. "I'm so flattered!" He wrapped an arm around the blond's neck, grinning widely.

"Hn. You wish _Flinty_," Volkner sneered, shrugging the redhead off his shoulders. Flint feigned rejection as the rest of the café laughed in amusement.

Marley glanced up at the clock, closing the black leather-bound book she was reading. "…Well Cynthia should be back by now. My shift's over," she said. "…I'll be leaving then, okay?"

Riley nodded. "Stay warm out there."

Marley nodded and bundled up in her black coat before heading out the door of the shop. Buck watched her go with great interest.

"Uhh… I'm out of here too," he said quickly, zipping up his coat and dashing out the door, turning in the same direction as the black haired girl. Flint raised an eyebrow at his younger brother's odd behavior, but surprisingly, said nothing about it. He would save the teasing for later.

Buck had to jog to catch up with Marley, panting as he fell in step at her side. "Hey," he breathed. "I didn't catch your name earlier." The redhead smiled at her widely, it what he hoped was a suave manner. He had seen Flint do this many times before and it seemed to work for him, even _with _the afro.

The black haired girl was silent for a moment, not bothering to acknowledge the boy beside her.

_'Maybe she thought my smile was stupid…'_

"…It's Marley," she said finally.

"Cool! So…maybe we could get some coffee together sometime?" Buck asked. _'Crap! I shouldn't be so forward with her! She'll probably get freaked out. …And I don't even like coffee!" _The redhead chewed his lip nervously as the thought ran through his head. He wasn't all too experienced with girls actually, but for the most part, he hadn't cared all too much. But now Buck was finding himself stupidly asking out this strange girl he just met that he never had considered his "type"! Buck wanted to slam his head into a wall.

They came to an intersection and stopped as cars rushed by. "…I spend half my life surrounded by coffee…" Marley finally said. "…So I'll have to pass… If you'll excuse me…" The black haired girl bowed her head before rushing across the now-clear street, Buck preparing to follow. The traffic signal then changed once more and the cars zoomed past, obscuring his view of the other side of the street. He could only stand there dumbstruck, and feeling very brushed off. As the traffic slowed and came to a halt, Marley was nowhere to be seen.

Buck groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Where did I go wrong?"

* * *

**Yup, it ends there. Poor Buck, totally rejected. But I loled at his sad and random attempt to ask out Marley. Maybe with some advice from Flint things will work out? Haha, not likely. But we'll see…**

**So yeah, this definitely won't be the last time we see Flint, Volkner, and Buck. They should actually have a chapter almost to themselves if I don't change my plans around…**

**What will happen next chapter? I'll just keep ya guessing, but I think it's pretty revealing stuff. Well please let me know what you thought about this chapter!**

**Until next time…!**


	5. He Returns

**Blahblah, generic excuse about being busy and not having time to update, blah.**

**It's not even funny how many times I went through and rewrote and changed this chapter. I just wasn't satisfied, and still am not exactly, but this is best I managed to get… Paul is just so hard to write IC…**

**Thanks for the reviews last chapter! I know some of you are wishing the chapters were longer, but then I would probably NEVER update. And it's just the style I chose for this fic. Hope you can bear with me here… Though this chapter **_**is **_**the longest one yet. I think.**

**And it's pretty revealing I suppose… After brief recaps of what has happened in the past few weeks that wasn't written about.**

**Anyway, on with the chapter!**

* * *

**He Returns**

After a few weeks of working at Riley's Café, Damion was finally getting into the swing of things. He knew all the regulars by name, or at least the few they had, and their favorite blend of coffee. And, as Riley promised, Damion had received the proper uniform, although giggling girls still stopped by in hopes to see the boy in a dress. Damion was right though (at least he thought he was) and looked quite sharp in the outfit. His vibrant and energetic personality seemed to bring in more customers, even if it was only a few.

Lucian and Aaron were there nearly every day to Cynthia's dismay, and even Dawn popped in from time to time. Damion was never formally introduced to the blunette, and never did understand was she always acted so flustered around Riley, so he just assumed it was something he missed out on.

Flint and his band hadn't showed up since the day Damion first met them. The blond thought that maybe they had actually made progress with finding a bassist or coming up with a name, though knowing Flint, even just barely, this was probably unlikely.

Marley had never told anyone what happened between her and Buck that one day after work, and seemed to become uncomfortable whenever anyone mentioned it. She wasn't very good at being discreet about the whole situation, but Damion just shrugged it off. It didn't really concern him. He was just glad that:

One, Riley seemed content with him working at his café and showed no intent of firing him.

And…

Two, the obnoxious purple haired boy that Damion served on his first day of work hadn't shown his ugly mug since.

...Until now.

Damion had just delivered two steaming cups of coffee to a couple when the door to shop was thrown open. The blond, in an incredibly upbeat mood, pranced over to the entrance, eyes shut in pure joy.

"Hi! Welcome to Riley's Café!" Damion then opened his vivid orange eyes only to see the one person he had hoped to never come across again. "Speak of the devil…" he murmured, only staring at the man standing in the doorway.

"So I see you lost the dress; too bad, it suited you," the purple haired man remarked coldly. Instead of waiting to be seated, he strode over to the same table he occupied those few weeks ago.

"What are you doing here you stupid bastard?!" Damion exclaimed, following him to his table angrily.

"Oh, that hurt. I thought waiters were supposed to _serve_ their customers, not insult them," the plum haired man sneered.

Riley looked up from behind the counter, overhearing the conversation. He sensed trouble brewing again. And Damion had been doing so well too… Though instead of socking him in the face like Riley expected, the blond walked over to the counter, order in hand.

"Coffee. Black," Damion said grimly.

"Now I don't want you started any trouble this time, okay?" Riley advised as he began to brew the beverage.

"Yeah, yeah," Damion grumbled, leaning back against the counter. Riley opened his mouth to protest, but decided to let it slide this time. The blond glared at the purple haired male, orange eyes narrowed into vicious slits. The man at the table grinned mockingly and waved at Damion. He clenched his fists, low growl rumbling in his throat.

"_Damion…_" Riley warned.

"I know!" The blond threw up his hands before spinning around the grabbing the cup of coffee on the counter, ignoring the slight burning pain. He stormed over to the purple haired male, slamming the cup onto the table.

"Here's your coffee, _sir_," Damion sneered. He paused for a moment, watching the man stare at the coffee. "…What made you come back here?" the blond asked finally. "What about your other precious café, with the 'better' coffee?"

"I wanted to see you obviously," the plum haired man replied, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"Don't mock me!"

"Fine, you want a serious answer? …I don't like my brother, that's why." He never took his cold eyes off the steaming coffee as he spoke.

Damion was caught off guard by his seemingly irrelevant statement. "…Excuse me?"

"My brother Reggie owns the other coffee shop, the new one. And I can't stand him. His unrelenting cheerful attitude, bringing waves of brainless girls that swarm the place…" The purple haired male's voice was laced with an intense scorn. Damion didn't know what to say. He simply sat down across from the other man, feeling slightly overwhelmed.

"Ugh, how pathetic, pouring my…heart…out to a stupid stranger."

"I have I name you know," the blond said to the other male as she stood up, chair scraping harshly against the floor. "It's Damion."

"Damion, huh?" the plum haired man replied from his spot in the doorway. "I was expecting something a but more…feminine…"

Damion shot up from his chair, a dangerous vibe being emitted from his being. The blond almost knocked the table over out of rage. The other male simply let out a mirthless laugh and was about to exit the shop when Damion gripped onto his arm.

""You know my name now," he said. "It's only fair that I know yours."

He broke free of the blond's hold, eyes narrowing. "It's Paul," he said rather civilly, despite the cruel look in his eyes. He seemed ready to leave once more when Damion opened his mouth to speak. Paul looked at him with annoyance as the blond shot a quick glance back at his boss behind the counter, who gave an encouraging nod.

"Look…Paul," Damion began. "I'm sorry for –"

"For punching me in the face when I was just trying to enjoy my coffee?" the purple haired male interjected.

The blond gritted his teeth. "Not exactly…" Paul just shrugged nonchalantly. "…Don't you have anything to say? Like that you're sorry too?"

"For what? I don't see the need for me to apologize for anything."

"How about for insulting me and the coffee!" Damion exclaimed. "God, why did you have to come back?!"

"Do I have to explain myself again? And why do you get to ask all the questions?" Paul turned around and plopped down in the armchair next to the door, glancing at Damion curiously. The blond was taken aback for a moment, before pulling up a wooden chair in front of Paul.

From behind the counter, Riley gazed on with interest, raising an eyebrow. _'Did he say his name was Paul? And his brother Reggie?' _He stared on for a moment, his eyes widening in shock. _'No… It can't be!' _Riley disappeared into the back of the café, to search for Cynthia.

Meanwhile, Paul and Damion were in the midst of an intense staring contest, the air around them thick with tension.

"Well if you wanna ask questions, then go ahead!" Damion finally said exasperated. "I don't have all day ya know!"

"You sure about that?" Paul replied. "This place is pretty empty. You know, because of the new place." Damion simply frowned. "So…why did you chose to work here, when my brother's café just opened up down the street, which probably pays better than this rat hole?"

The blond blocked out the insults and chewed his lip. He didn't really know the answer to his question. And he hated being asked he started working. It wasn't something he felt comfortable talking about, especially with a stranger who had been so rude to him not that long ago… Damion was about to speak, when Paul abruptly stood up. A group of preteens, female, were wandering back the shop, pointing and laughing at the two of them through the window.

"Actually," the purple haired man said quickly, "I don't care. I'm grateful you don't work at my brother's place."

With that, Paul exited the shop in a huff. He let out a breath once the cold air hit his face. Those girls… They were pointing at _them._ Paul wasn't going to allow his reputation as local badass be tarnished by having a civil conversation with the likes of Damion, who was now known as the local cross-dresser. Yet, part of him _did _care and _was _curious. But he wasn't going to let the blond know that.

Said blond was still inside the café, raging. "What is with that guy?!" he exclaimed, marching back and forth. Wandering into the back, he walked in on Riley and Cynthia who were in the middle of excited conversation.

"So…" Cynthia began smoothly transferring the conversation to Damion. "Looks like you and him reconciled your differences."

"Hardly," the blond replied, folding his arms across his chest.

"…Did I hear correctly when he said his name was Paul and his brother was Reggie?" Riley asked.

Damion nodded. "So? What does it matter?"

Riley opened his mouth when Cynthia interjected. "You were right!" she exclaimed. "It _is _him! I can't believe it!"

"Neither can I…" Riley muttered. "I expected Reggie's brother to be…well, more like him."

"Hold up!" Damion shouted, butting in. "Can you guys _please _explain what's going on?

"Oh sorry!" Cynthia replied. "You see, we both went to high school with Reggie. We heard him walk about his younger brother Paul a lot; positively, mind you."

Riley frowned deeply, rubbing his chin. "I never expected Reggie to be the owner of the new coffee shop…" His old friend…their competition. This just made things more difficult…

"Still, his brother's a jerk!" Damion complained.

"C'mon Damion, Cynthia said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's nothing to get worked up over, really."

Damion knew this, but there was just something about the purple haired man that got him all riled up. But today, for a fleeting moment, he felt some sort of connection with him… Why was Paul so curious about his life? And why was Damion so intrigued by his?

The blond slammed his fist into the wall, Riley and Cynthia looking on with concern. Damion wished he could just forget about Paul, but he was always there, always on his mind…

…Damion wished he had punched him harder.

* * *

**Hmm. Even I don't know what to make of this chapter. I hope it wasn't too bad… Very dialogue heavy, I know, but that was necessary in order to get some of this information out into the open and advance the story a bit.**

**The next chapter shifts focus away from this though, and centers more on Cynthia and Dawn. Hooray for girl bonding! Haha.**

**Though I was contemplating a holiday special for this fic; just a short thing about the café around the holiday season and whatnot. But I don't even know what I would do with it, and probably wouldn't get it up in time for Christmas… Ah well.**

**As always, I hope you enjoyed and reviews would be greatly appreciated!**


	6. She Remembers

**Meh, sorry for updating delay. (And I know I say that all the time). I had more issues with this chapter… As in, just not being satisfied with it. Or worried that people will get mad at me over Cynthia's back story and claim she's too OOC or that situation wouldn't happen to her. And I would hate using the excuse, "it's an AU fic!" Maybe I could use the excuse "It's an AU fic where Cynthia's younger!" /koff/ DD: Okay enough "blah-ing" about nothing...**

**Thank you SuicidalToeSocks, waterfall42, Coldcoffeeshipper!!!!, and Deatheart for reviewing last chapter! That makes 25 reviews, way more than I ever expected!**

**Also, as I mentioned previously, this chapter is NOT set in the café, but rather in Cynthia's apartment.**

* * *

**She Remembers**

"Note to self: Painting your nails in the dark is _not _a good idea."

Cynthia chuckled as she completely missed her fingernail, smearing black paint all over her finger and partially on the floor. A small flashlight was clamped between her lips, a single hand holding the polish-coated brush. Dawn watched in amusement from beside her, knees drawn up to her chest. The younger girl had volunteered to help Cynthia, but the woman was too stubborn to comply.

"Hey Dawn, I'm really sorry about this," Cynthia said, letting the flashlight roll on the ground, beam pointing away from them.

"It's no problem, really," the bluenette reassured. They were both sitting on the floor of Cynthia's cramped apartment, clad in their pajamas. Since the blonde woman got off work early, she dragged Dawn along with her for a girl's night out.

Well, more like a girl's night in, but things didn't go exactly as planned. Upon arriving at Cynthia's apartment, they realized that the power was out.

"Guess I forgot to pay the rent…" was her excuse, as she stumbled into the apartment, laughing with embarrassment.

Even without heat in the dead of winter, they simply went with it, Cynthia pulling out spare blankets and a flashlight from the depths of her overcrowded closet. The blonde thought that it was a better bonding experience anyway – without the distraction of the television, computer, and various other electronics, they could have time to themselves, just talking.

"Anything wrong Dawn?" Cynthia asked after a while. "You seem a bit…quiet tonight."

The bluenette shook her head meekly, but her lie was almost too obvious. She just couldn't stop thinking about earlier that day…

_Dawn hurried through the crowded streets of Veilstone City, head down to shield her face from the fast-falling snow. Breath escaping in white puffs like little clouds, Dawn stopped in front of Riley's Café, peering inside curiously, just like the first day she set foot in the shop._

_She was about to head inside to warm up by the crackling fire, until she caught a glimpse of Riley and Cynthia chatting amiably at the counter._

_It was then that suddenly they looked like much more than just friends to Dawn. The visible chemistry between them created sparks, almost as though they were a new couple. Their expressions, body language…_

_Dawn took a step back from the frigid glass, breath hitching in her lungs. No, they couldn't be..._

_She cast her blue eyes back at them, only to see them laughing joyfully, Cynthia falling into Riley's side in hysterics. Dawn didn't know what to make of the whole situation. She couldn't just go inside now… So she did the only thing she could do – ran._

Clutching her knees harder, Dawn bit her lip, unsure of whether or not to say what was really on her mind. _'Well it wouldn't hurt to ask… And maybe I can clear some things up…'_

"Cynthia," she began in a hushed voice, "what is your relationship with…Riley?"

The blonde woman gazed at Dawn quizzically before letting out a laugh, fully understanding what Dawn was getting at. "Me and Riley? We're just really close friends. Not dating, trust me." The younger girl breathed a sigh of relief.

"I've known Riley since high school. He's always been there for me – like really there, especially when college rolled around. Making sure I did all my work, didn't try to pull off all-nighters, didn't party to hard…" Cynthia laughed as the memories came flooding back to her, washing over her like a wave.

"But then…" The blonde paused. "I couldn't attend Hearthome University any longer…"

"…Why?" Dawn asked, genuinely curious. She knew that this must've been a touchy subject forCynthia, but had to ask. That's what girl's nights' were all about – sharing stories and learning more about one another. _'Plus, it's not bad to hear about Riley either,' _Dawn added, but pushed that thought to the back of her mind. It wasn't time to be selfish; it was time to her what Cynthia had to say.

"I just couldn't pay for it…" Cynthia finally said. "My scholarship only lasted for one year… And I wasn't applicable for finicial aid… So I just didn't go back."

"…I'm really sorry Cynthia…"

"Now don't you worry about a thing!" the blonde woman replied, perking up. "I'm going to go back soon, once I save up the money. Riley was kind enough to give me a job at his café to help pay.

"I know it's notmuch, but I'm still trying. Plus, he's even helping me compile research for my future thesis! I really hope to have enough money to travel, visit foreign countries and famous ruins, and then write about what I learned, experienced, and everything else."

"Wow! That sounds like it would be amazing! And Riley must be really nice to help you out with all that," Dawn said, stretching out her legs in the cramped space.

Cynthia shot her a glance, sly smile playing on her lips. "So… you and Riley, eh?"

Dawn's jaw dropped, face turned as red as a Cheri Berry. "What are you talking about?" she exclaimed, flustered.

"Oh c'mon Dawn," Cynthia said, leaning into her. "I know you like him."

The bluenette sighed, knowing denial was futile. "Is it _that _obvious?"

"Well it's just the way you always talk about him, and the way you look at him…"

Dawn buried her face in her hands, groaning. "I just…don't know how to deal with it. He probably thinks I'm too young, or not mature and sophisticated enough for him…"

Cynthia slapped her shoulder lightly. "That's complete nonsense! …But if you're really that nervous about it… How about I 'mentor' you, or something? Put in a good word, you know?" The blonde woman nudged the blushing girl, grinning playfully.

"Would you really do that for me?" Dawn asked, azure eyes shining.

Cynthia nodded. "Of course! I'll always be looking out for you!" She winked. …For as long as she could remember, Cynthia had been on her own. She would make sure that Dawn always had someone to turn to.

"Oh thank you Cynthia!" The bluenette leapt at the woman, overjoyed. "You're the greatest!"

Cynthia pulled away from her, a mischevious look appearing on her face once more. "Now that we've got your romantic situation sorted out, it's time to deal with Marley's…"

* * *

**So yeah, you got some GirlPowershipping in there, as well as IronWill and Rukario… But now I feel like Cynthia has more of a back story than anyone else and Riley is only getting a partial one through her and gah…**

**This is more difficult than I expected…**

**Well let me know what you think about it! Ease my mind, or confirm my anxieties! Anything would be appreciated.**

**Up next…a band-centric chapter and much Buck teasing! Hoorah! Oh, and some Marley teasing too ;P**


	7. They Scheme

**Ahh guys, it's been too long, hasn't it? Sorry about the delay, but you know me and my general updating failureness… It was hard for me to decide how I actually wanted this chapter to end up and how it would tie in with the progression of Marley and Buck's relationship… This whole thing is turning out to be more difficult than I though, keeping all the details consistent, as well as having a coherent timeline… With that being said, I would place this chapter around the same time as the last chapter… It becomes relevant later, I swear! Or at least I think.**

**Yeah, and I think the shift in this chapter is kinda obvious, as I wrote half of it, then stopped before picking it up like a month later. ;**

**Anyway, thank you to all my reviewers last chapter – I would thank you all individually, but it was a lot last time! O.o :D We're nearly 50 now, something I never expected! Will this make it to 100? Hn, doubtful, but I still appreciate that people are reading and enjoying this fic!**

**Without further ado, here is the 7****th**** chapter, featuring the oh-so-awesome Flint and Volkner (and Buck too!)**

* * *

**They Scheme**

Life was fun if you lived in a van.

…Well, if you actually had something entertaining to do.

Flint leaned lazily against the inside of the van, propped up on top of a mattress and a mound of blankets. He absentmindedly drummed on his knees to a non-existent beat. Volkner sat across from him, guitar strewn across his lap. He strummed a few strings, sound resonating through the van. They both sat, torpid, as the frigid air chilled their bones.

Suddenly, a loud metallic pounding could be heard from outside, the back doors rattling. Flint and Volkner started apathetically at one another.

"…Fine, I'll open," Flint finally said, withering under Volkner's piercing gaze. He stood up, acting as though it took a great effort just to get to his feet. Unlatching the back door, Flint swung it open, coming face-to-face with his little brother, Buck.

"Found you a bassist," the younger redhead said curtly, not bothering with a proper greeting.

Flint's eyes lit up and Volkner peered out of the van with interest. "Really?!"

Buck stepped aside wordlessly, only to reveal Aaron, standing there and looking overjoyed. "Hiya Flint!"

The afro'd man slapped his forehand with his palm. "Didn't we already tell you no?" Flint groaned. "I mean, we appreciate your enthusiasm and support and all – it's totally cool – but you barely know how to play!"

"But I'm learning and practicing everyday!" Aaron pleaded. "Even though Lucian disapproves, I'm still doing it just for you guys!"

"Look Aaron," Flint said, placing a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. "That's great but…"

"Fine, I get it. I'll just go then…" Aaron slouched off, feeling thoroughly dejected.

"…You didn't even give him a chance," Volkner remarked.

"Yeah well…" Flint chuckled nervously. "He didn't even have his bass with him! Now close the damn door Buck; it's freezing!"

He growled and climbed inside the van, shutting the door behind him to block out the cold air. "How the hell do you guts live in this dump?" Buck asked, slumping down next to Volkner.

"You're just upset you're still going to school and living with Mom," Flint retorted.

Volkner rolled his eyes and began to play his guitar, humming to the melody of the song. Silence fell between the bickering brothers as they listened to the rhythm.

"…So, Buck…" Flint finally said as Volkner ceased playing. "Are you ready to spill the beans?"

"I already told you a thousand times over – nothing happened!" Buck crossed his arms childishly and looked down at his feet, a slight blush smearing across his cheeks.

"Now Buck. Remember that I _am _your older brother, and that means I can always tell when you're lying."

"And the blush on your face is evident enough as well," Volkner added in.

The pink coloring on Buck's face deepened at the blonde's observation. "Fine," he said, reluctantly giving in. "You wanna know what really happened? She rejected me, that's what."

"WHAAT?!" Flint roared, leaping to his feet and hitting his head on the van roof in the process. It was a good thing he had his afro to cushion the blow… "No brother of mine gets rejected! Didn't you listen to my girl advice? Use my smooth moves?"

"…If he did that, it's not wonder he got rejected," Volkner commented dryly.

"Ahh, what would you know Volky?" Flint snapped. "I can woo _all _the ladies." He smoothed back his afro suavely to accentuate the statement.

"You guys…aren't exactly helping," Buck said, looking rather annoyed. The redhead stood up and headed toward the door of the van.

"Wait, Buck…"

He paused, turning around to face his brother. "If you say anything stupid," he warned dangerously, "I'm outta here."

"Oh c'mon man. You're my little bro. And I just wanna help you win her over," Flint said sincerely.

Sighing, Buck plopped back down on the mattress. "Well, what do you suggest I do? Just waltz right into the café and kiss her?"

Flint raised an eyebrow, grinningly mischievously. Buck's crimson eyes widened with horror, and he shook his head, realizing what he had just gotten himself in to. "Oh no… oh no, oh no."

Flint nodded once, slowly. "Oh yes…"

* * *

"Damn that Flint. Why should I listen to him anyway?! He hasn't even had a steady girlfriend in forever. Hell, he's probably too into Volkner for that matter…"

Buck continued to grumble to himself, hunched over in his red winter jacket. The sky was overcast with thick, gray clouds, further dampening Buck's mood. He hated living in a place where it was always so cold, and couldn't wait to graduate high school and move some place warmer. And he wouldn't be a bum like Flint, living in a van.

Speeding across the busy intersection, Buck passed by Riley's Café. He took a side-glance inside, never breaking his pace, but there was no Lolita girl in sight, meaning Buck had no intention of actually going inside.

'_Must be off today,'_ he thought grimly and continued on his way. It was a Sunday afternoon, so the streets of Veilstone were practically deserted, save for a few early holiday shoppers. Buck's thoughts began to drift and he paid no attention to where he walked, letting his instincts guide him the right direction home. It was then he heard the tingled of a bell above his head that managed to snap him out of his reverie – someone had just exited a bookstore in front of him, one that Buck would occasionally frequent to read the latest installment of his favorite comic. Glancing at his watch, Buck realized he had plenty of time to waste.

'_Might as well see if the new issue is in yet…'_

Buck lazily entered the store and headed straight toward the graphic novel section, turning the corner sharply around a bookshelf, only to come to a complete halt. Standing there in the aisle, nose stuck in a book, was none other than Marley. The redhead stood there, gaping stupidly (and quite resembling a fish) for a moment before approaching her.

"Hey, Marley!"

Startled, the girl dropped her book and glanced up, deep blue eyes widened in fear.

"Oh sorry; let me get that for you!"

"No, I got it!"

Buck strode forward, snatching up the dropped book before Marley could stop him. Thoroughly expecting it to be a book of gothic poetry, Buck was surprised to see it was a picture book…filled with images of kittens!

"Uh, here…" Buck awkwardly handed the blushing girl the book, who accepted it graciously.

"…Thank you Buck…"

"Hey!" the redhead exclaimed, eyes lighting up. "You remembered my name!"

"…Well you aren't that hard to forget…"

Buck winced, unsure if that was a good thing or a bad thing… "So, do you come here often? I usually see you with a book at Riley's Café, so it only makes sense I guess."

Marley nodded. "Yeah I do…" She glanced at the old clock hanging on the wall of the store and frowned. "Well it looks like I need to get back to work… Break's over…" The dark haired girl placed the book back on the shelf and started to side step around Buck, toward the door.

Forgetting all about the comic, Buck followed her out the door. "Hey, mind if I walk with you? I was just heading that way anyway." …An obvious lie on Buck's behalf. Riley's Café was the opposite of home, but if it meant he got to spend more time with Marley, he didn't mind the extra walking.

"…I guess…that's okay…" Marley began walking, without bothering to check if her companion was still following. Buck had been too busy cheering inwardly and had to rush to catch up with her.

"So…you like kittens?" Buck asked, breaking the awkward silence between them with an equally awkward question. Out of the corner of his eye, Buck saw her blush slightly.

Marley nodded meekly. "…They're…pretty cute." She glanced down timidly at her black boots.

"Yeah they are!" Buck agreed. "I always wanted one, but Flint's allergic… I like dogs too though!" The redhead surprised himself. Never did he expect to find himself revealing his secret affection toward cute animals to the girl he liked. But girls, they liked those sensitive types, didn't they? Maybe this information would earn him some extra points in Marley's book.

But the raven-haired girl said nothing in return, only nodded. Buck wasn't sure what else to say at the moment. But Marley clearly wasn't a girl of many words anyway…

"…We're nearing the café now," she pointed out, finally speaking up. "…Uh…I appreciate you accompanying me…just a bit."

"No problem!" Buck grinned widely, flashing a thumbs up. Marley cracked a small, almost undistinguishable grin, face flushed. "Hey, would you like to hang out again sometimes? Maybe we could go back to the bookstore together!" He tried to appear as confident as possible, but on the inside he was a nervous wreck. He _really _didn't want to get rejected again…

By now they had arrived at Riley's and were standing outside, visible to all the café's occupants. "…I guess…that would be okay." Marley bowed her head slightly before making a move toward the door.

"Awesome! I'll see you around then!" And with that, Buck practically skipped off, whistling merrily. It was time to go rub it in Flint's face – he had success without following any of his brother's lame advice!

Meanwhile, back at Riley's Café, Marley had taken her position at the front door, Cynthia sneaking up behind her.

"Was that Buck I saw you with?" the blonde asked, smirking.

"…Yes, it was…" Marley shuffled her feet nervously. Sure, she knew Cynthia meant well, but sometimes when she got involved in relationship matters things could get a bit…messy.

"It seems to me that he's into you," she stated bluntly. Marley took a step forward, startled, a heavy blush on her face.

"N-nonsense!"

Cynthia shrugged nonchalantly. "Just my intuition… Which is usually right." She winked, her eyes glinting mischievously.

"…I think, for now…I'll just try to be friends with him…" Marley said.

"Suit yourself." Cynthia shrugged again headed back to the counter, actually using the proper door to get behind it, to Riley's relief. The blonde honestly saw no more need to meddle, for now at least. Even if Marley was just focused on friendship at the moment, Cynthia knew the dark haired girl would come around eventually, and something more would develop between her and Buck. Once again, it was time for Cynthia play the waiting game...

* * *

**Meh, don't like the chapter ending too much, but oh well. …By the way, has anyone caught the running gag? It's been mentioned in I think every chapter so far…except the last one. ;P It's not like it's even important, but I just thought I would ask. **

**Man, MarleyxBuck interactions are hella awkward, which is probably why I had difficulty with this chapter at first. They'll overcome the awkwardness, I promise. As for Flint and Volkner overcoming apathy and actually doing something with their "band"? Uh yeah, they'll get on that eventually as well. XP**

**I'm excited to get all the kinks for the next chapter worked out – it's already half written (and has been, even before I finished this one...but that doesn't exactly mean anything in terms of when I'll update again…), but it's gonna be Coldcoffeeshippy and relatively revealing (Damion backstory?)… And maybe Paul and Damion will stop hating each other? It's just funny how differently Damion (or should I say Barry? ;/) views Paul in this fic in comparison to the anime, but it's fun this way. I should write a fic with fanboy!Damion though. Eh, I'm ranting about nothing pertaining to this chapter and should probably stop.**

**Oh, did I mention that yesterday marked my 5****th**** year as a member on this site? lol, what have I been doing with my life?**

**Reviews or anything else you feel like throwing at me are much love!**

**Until next time~**


	8. They Share

**I decided to stop hating this chapter and just post it. Because I've hated it for the past year or so, which is why this fic has been so dead. I've never been good with dealing with…pivotal chapters, per se.**

**Yeah, just ignore the crappy melodrama and random OOCness. And enjoy a better chapter coming up after.**

**Also, anyone who has reviewed/favorite/alerted/anything… You all are amazing. Thanks for actually putting up with my terrible updating skills.**

**

* * *

**

**They Share**

Damion skipped merrily through the streets of Veilstone, cheeks flushed pink with cold. But the blond could care less about the icy weather – or the angry pedestrians he just narrowly avoided running in to. It was his first day off in what felt like ages, and Damion couldn't be happier. The only problem was…he wasn't sure what to do now.

Riley's Café had become his second home – and his preferred one. Even today, his day off, Damion found himself following the same familiar route he took every morning to work. He stopped at a traffic signal, waiting impatiently for the red hand to disappear.

The streets were bustling with holiday shoppers. Since he was working all the time, Damion nearly forgot that Christmas was just around the corner, and everyone was out and about trying to find the perfect gifts for their loved ones.

The traffic signal changed and Damion headed across the street, amid the throng of shoppers. He glanced at stores along the way, with the best (and most expensive) items on display in the windows.

Honestly, the blond wasn't quite sure where he was heading. But it wouldn't hurt to check in on Riley and the others, would it?

As Damion hurried down the street, he passed the new cybercafé on the corner. He had never given it much more than a sidelong glance before, but this time he stopped, getting a better view.

_'So this is the place Paul's brother owns…'_

It was much larger than Riley's café, occupying the entire street corner. The windows were tinted slightly, making it difficult for him to get a good view of the inside, but he could still tell it was packed. Damion didn't see what was so appealing about the place; he just assumed technology and artificial coffee was what people were in to these days.

Sighing, the blond continued on his way, until he finally came to Riley's Café. Damion flung open the café door, only to run head first into a person exiting the shop.

Damion landed hard on the snowy pavement, rubbing his sore behind. Dazed, he glanced at the other person, who too was planted on the ground. The blond could only stare speechless at the purple-haired male sprawled on the café floor, who was glaring intensely.

"P-Paul," Damion stuttered, jumping to his feet and offering him a hand. _'Of all the people…'_

Paul brushed Damion's hand aside and stood up on his own, piercing eyes still filled with annoyance. Riley and Marley watched the two from behind the counter with interest, both hoping for minimal confrontation.

"Sorry," the blond said, though his tone was scornful.

Paul shot him a scathing look. "Watch where you're going next time."

"Hey! I said I was sorry!" Damion advanced on Paul, practically growling.

It was then Riley appeared and dragged Damion away by his scarf. "Just because you're off today doesn't mean you can start fights," he scolded. The blond huffed, glaring at Paul's smirking figure.

"I know, I know. But do you even know why he's here?"

"…He asked…if you were working," Riley replied, tensing up. He was sure Damion was about to get upset for one reason or another…

Instead, the blond just blinked. "Oh." Wordlessly, he walked toward the door, grabbing Paul's wrist in the process.

"Hey! What are you-?"

Paul was cut off as the door clanged shut behind them. Riley frowned, watching them go. He hoped he hadn't given Damion the idea that it was okay to fight outside the store…

"Would you let go of me?" Paul snapped once Damion had successfully hauled him to the end of the street.

The blond didn't let go, and only stared fiercely into the Paul's cold eyes. "You have ten seconds to tell me what you want with me! Ten, nine, eight…"

Paul yanked his hand away, scowling. "Like I would want anything with a loser like you. You're the one who dragged me all the way out here."

Damion's gaze was unwavering as he continued to stare. The traffic light had changed and it was safe to cross the street, but they just stood there, annoying holiday shoppers who had to weave their way around the boys.

"Look, Riley told me you asked for me," Damion said. "No use hiding it."

"Don't go thinking you mean anything to me." Paul's statement was blunt, and he turned away from the blond with disgust. Damion faltered, breaking the tense glare he has held for so long. Why did those words…hurt?

"I just asked him so I would know whether or not to find someone else to mess with today." Paul folded his arms across his chest, still looking away from the blond. Was it just him, or was there a faint dusting of pink on Paul's tan skin?

The purple-haired male glanced back down at Damion, who was simply staring at him, a strange look reflected in his orange eyes.

"Look, I honestly could care less but…" Paul's hard features softened, if only for a fleeting moment.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Paul hurried across the street, leaving Damion behind. Was this perhaps a signal to follow?

Quickly glancing around, Damion sped across the street, panting once he fell along at Paul's side. The two of them walked in silence for a bit, although it wasn't uncomfortable. Each of them was just lost in their own thoughts…

"My brother's café," Paul finally said. "Let's go." He grabbed Damion firmly by the wrist, dragging in him the opposite direction, back towards where they came from.

"Ow, lemme go!" Damion protested, struggling to break free from Paul's iron grip. "I refuse to step foot in that place!" His defiance wasn't enough though, as the purple-haired male easily overpowered him. Damion just didn't feel right going to their rival café… He had grown so attached to Riley's Café since he begin working there nearly a month ago, and couldn't stand to give their competition any business.

"Just shut up and come on. Do you really think I want to go there either?" Paul said decisively.

Huffing, Damion reluctantly followed the cold-hearted man. He was puzzled when all the people on the street gave them curious looks… But then he realized that Paul was still holding his wrist. Yanking his hand away, Damion feigned disgust. In reality, it felt rather…nice to have Paul's warm hand clasped around his, especially when the weather outside was so chilly. Paul had no reaction toward Damion, and the two simply kept walking until they reached their destination – Cyber Coffee.

To Damion's immense surprise, there was no employee to greet them at the door. In fact, there didn't appear to be any workers at all, barring a single pink-haired girl who was rushing from counter to table, delivering orders.

At each sitting place, there were computerized touch screens featuring the entire menu. It appeared as though all the customer had to do was select what they wanted on the computer, and the order was sent back to be prepared – by what Damion assumed was machines. The overwhelming lack of human involvement in the whole process…unnerved him a bit.

His vivid orange eyes scanned the café, observing all the patrons chatting away, or fiddling with their cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices. The whole atmosphere was so different than Riley's Café. It felt cold, detached.

Suddenly, Damion's eyes came to a halt, settling on the back of a woman with familiar long, blonde hair…

"Cynthia? What is she doing here?" Damion pondered aloud. "And who's that she's with?"

Paul followed Damion's gaze and rested it upon the couple at the table. "…That would be my brother."

"Wait, that's Reggie?" Upon hearing his name, the purple-ponytailed man looked around. He spotted Paul and waved cheerfully, motioning for him to come over. Cynthia, noticing that Damion was with him, was startled and made a futile attempt to hide. Damion followed the grim-looking Paul over the table, weaving through the people.

"Cynthia, I didn't expect to see you here," Damion said as calmly as possible, though on the inside, he was seething. He hoped she didn't have any intention of betraying Riley or his shop…

"The same could be said to you. But oh, you know, I'm just catching up with an old friend," she said hurriedly, blushing. Cynthia promptly stood up at her place and gathered her things. "Would you just look at the time? I really should be heading back to work." Uttering a hasty goodbye to Reggie, the blonde woman sped out of the shop, head down in embarrassment.

"…She was always a strange one…" Reggie muttered to himself before flashing a grin at Paul. "Nice of you to stop in little bro! And it seems you've brought a friend." He nodded towards Damion.

"We're not friends!" the two replied simultaneously, before glancing at each other scornfully.

Reggie chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Pleased to meet you regardless," he said, reaching out to shake Damion's hand.

"Uh, likewise." During this exchange, Paul refused to look at either Damion or Reggie, his hard eyes fixated on an empty spot across the café. Behind them, an automated bell dinged, signaling an order was ready to be delivered.

Reggie looked over his shoulder, and while he was closest to the order, he called to the pink-haired waitress. "Maylene, could you get that?"

She turned to him and nodded, although she seemed to be balancing other orders. But as she made her way to the counter, tray in hand, she tripped and fell; the cups and tray she was carrying clattered to the floor. All the café customers fell silent and looked over at her, as Reggie immediately stood up. "If you'll excuse me," was all he said before rushing over to assist the waitress, Maylene.

Paul scoffed when Reggie had disappeared. "My brother… He's always so nice. I can't stand it. Plus I don't know what he was thinking when he hired that clumsy girl, and no one else."

"You could learn a thing or two from him," Damion replied.

"I can be polite. To people who deserve it. And you don't fall into that category."

"What is your problem, honestly? You drag me to places, then treat me like crap!" Their argument was hushed, and went mostly unnoticed by most of the café's occupants, who were preoccupied with whispering about Maylene's accident.

Paul took a deep breath. "We should sit." He led Damion to the vacant table across the café that he had been eyeing earlier.

The tension between them was running high; one could practically hear the electricity crackling in the air. Paul gritted his teeth, wanting to speak, but not knowing how to do so, at least civilly. Damion fidgeted; he couldn't stand just _sitting _there in silence. Paul apparently didn't realize the blond's overwhelming need to be active, almost constantly.

To take his mind off the situation, Damion watched as Reggie lead Maylene into the back of the shop, and then take over her duties, flittering around the café.

"Your brother seems like a really good guy," Damion said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah that's his problem. And he's a fool to think he can run a business like this." Paul did not look at the blond as he spoke.

"Like what? Run solely by machines? …I would have never pegged you as a person who would care one bit about human interaction."

"Maybe you're right. But unlike some people, I understand the proper way business should be conducted in order to be successful."

"…Well it seems to me that Reggie's shop is a success, unfortunately for us. But I think you're a hypocrite! Criticizing Riley's Café, acting like this place is the best in the world… And now you're bashing your brother as well! Are you not satisfied with anything?" Damion took a deep breath and settled back into his seat.

Paul's eyes lowered, his purple bangs forming a veil over his face. "I was…bothered. Because they way Riley runs his café is the way I wish my brother ran his. He had a dream to open a quaint little coffee shop… But I don't really know where his vision became warped and turned into this. Sure people like it, but it's not making Reggie happy." Paul clenched his fists, shaking slightly. He did not move; only stared straight ahead as a hush seemed to fall over the café. "I hate that…the one who raised me…is just so unhappy."

Damion was startled, his orange eyes widening. He never expected Paul to open up like that. And to learn that he was parentless as well… The blond boy never dreamed that his situation would be similar to that of the one he had grown to hate in the past few weeks.

Damion, too, did not know what it was like to be raised by a proper family. His father left him and his mother when Damion was still young, yearning for adventure and the freedom of life elsewhere. And his mother…just snapped. Damion learned to care for himself and eventually provide for him and his mother, which is why he had to get a job after his mom was fired for the umpteenth time.

Suddenly, Damion found himself able to relate for Paul, and even understand his situation. All those hostile feelings toward him – the violence, the insults that resulted – all seemed to melt away. It was almost as though he was seeing Paul from a brand new light, especially after learning that his motives and actions weren't for selfish reasons. They were for his brother.

And because of this, Damion felt himself open up. He could tell Paul the things he couldn't share with those closest to him at Riley's Café. Part of him was glad, elated even, that they had finally found some common ground.

"…I didn't ask for your life story," was Paul's only response. Anger flared in Damion's eyes and he jumped to his feet, livid.

'_I can't believe I trusted him, even for a minute! So much for understanding.'_

Paul simply looked up at him, face expressionless. "But…I appreciate…that you confided in me." These words seemed difficult for Paul to get out, but when he did, Damion relaxed. The blond dropped his clenched fists and plopped down wordlessly back down beside Paul.

"I…uh…don't even know what to say."

"Don't say anything. It would be best for the both of us if you just forgot this ever happened." Paul stood up sharply, as to put an end to the conversation. But Damion stood up right with him, a new look appearing in his eyes. No longer did they burn with a passionate hatred; they were filled with a silent respect and understanding.

"Wow Paul… I never expected to find out that there's really a nice guy hidden in that cold, cruel shell of yours!" Damion leaned in close to the other male, grinning widely.

Paul took a side-step away, eyebrow twitching. "Don't get used to it."

"…For two people who aren't friends, you two sure seem close all of a sudden." Reggie came up behind the two, dishrag in hand. There was still one thing that had to be down manually in his Cyber Café – cleaning. "…But that's just an outsiders' observation." He smiled innocently, much to Paul's displeasure.

"I knew someone with a cool brother like you couldn't be all bad on the inside!" Damion said cheerfully. Some part of Damion found it strange, his change in attitude towards Paul, but it was uplifting in a way. It just took some time for the blond to realize that the two weren't meant to hate each other.

"With the way Paul acts around other people, it's surprising, I know," Reggie replied, winking.

"All right. I've had enough of this." Paul began to stalk out of the care, but shot a fleeting glance at Damion first. The blond faltered for a moment, watching Paul leave.

"Now don't take my word for it, but I think he wants you to follow." Damion looked up at Reggie, who nodded. He said his goodbyes before stepping out of the café. Paul was indeed waiting for him, just as Reggie had stated.

"…Now what?" the blond asked him.

"I'm walking you home."

Damion's pale cheeks became dusted with color. "Uh, a bit much, don't cha think? Plus, I doubt you could keep up with me!" The blond was about to dash off, but Paul stopped him, a strong hand firmly gripping his lime green scarf.

"We're not done talking." He yanked Damion back, the blond slamming roughly into his chest. "I need you to do something for me." The two boys tried to ignore their close proximity to one another, as Paul leaned down to whisper. The blond, startled, stumbled forward out of Paul's grasp.

"…L-like what?"

"…Help me corrupt Reggie's business. I don't think he'll realize that it's not the proper way to go about things, and that he is truly unhappy, unless he learns it the hard way. Plus, not that I care or anything, but it could help get more customers at Riley's Café by diverting them from my brother's place."

"…That's awfully nice of you… In a weird way, nonsensical way."

"Look, don't question my motives, all right? So are you in, or not?"

"Well what do you expect me to do?"

Paul shrugged. "The cross-dressing thing seemed to work wonders…"

Damion shot him a look. "No, definitely not, never again."

"It was only a suggestion. I mean, it made me go back to that dump of a place." Damion chose to ignore that statement as Paul continued. "I'll try to think of something, and in the mean time, you talk to your coworkers, or whoever. We can't do this alone, unfortunately."

As the two kept walking, it steadily grew darker and the clouds in the evening sky took on a pinkish glow. They had made their way to a rather run-down apartment complex on the outskirts of the city.

"Well, this is it," Damion said finally, stopping in front of one of the buildings. He looked up to the window on the very top floor, where he lived. He bet his mother had passed out watching TV again, leaving Damion to cook dinner for himself once again…

Paul simply nodded his head and seemed to start turning away.

"Paul, wait." The purple-haired male stopped and looked at Damion expectantly. "…Thanks. For everything today. Fighting with you was getting a bit old anyway."

"Don't mention it," Paul replied. "Seriously, just don't."

Damion grinned and turned towards the sky; gentle snowflakes were beginning to fall, slowly drifting down to Earth. Paul was looking up at the sky too, allowing the flakes to melt upon his tan face.

He then turned to say his final goodbye to Damion, who shifted his attention away from the sky. Before either of them could say anything, Damion quickly leaned forward and planted his lips on Paul's cheek, in the same spot where a snowflake had landed just a second prior.

Paul remained rooted to the spot, unable to properly react. Not that the blond had given him any time to respond. Embarrassed by his (stupid) spontaneity, Damion had sprinted up the stairs of his building as soon as he pulled away.

Paul shook his head vigorously, futilely attempting to rid himself of his uncharacteristically red face, which he tried to convince himself was because of the cold.

'_That kid…'_

Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, Paul began to stalk home, his cheeks still burning.

…He definitely didn't hate that kid anymore.

* * *

**I felt like writing something fluffy for once, leave me be!**

**I needed to transform Paul and Damion's relationship from one of hatred to one of…sort of not hatred for business reasons on Paul's part and I don't even know what I'm saying. Just roll with it, 'kay guys? Because this fic wasn't even supposed to be that serious in the first place...  
**

**Expect the next chapter sooner or later, if I don't get bogged down by college work.**

**It's another IronWillshippy one, yayy!**

**TRO, out!  
**


	9. She Volunteers

…**Where did everybody go? I guess most people just gave up on this fic/fanfic in general, which is totally to be expected. I do thank SuicidalToeSocks and Shinji Lover for reviewing though. :D Anyway, on with the next short chapter!

* * *

**

**She Volunteers**

"And where do you think you're going this late young lady?"

"Mom, it's not even that late. And I'm not a little girl, you know."

Johanna looked at her daughter with exasperation, but grinned a little. It was true; her little Dawn was growing up. She was surprised the teen wasn't bringing home boys every night, but then again, Dawn seemed to have a bit of a shy streak around them. But maybe that was for the best.

"I know, honey. But it is nearly 10; the Veilstone streets aren't always safe at night, especially around the Gaming District…" Johanna trailed off, concern etched on her face.

"Don't worry, Mom," Dawn said, walking over and kissing her mother on the head. "I'm just going to Riley's."

"Well alright dear," Johanna replied, knowing she would be okay there, especially if Cynthia was working. "Just don't stay out too late; the café closes soon anyway."

"I know, bye Mom, I love you!"

Without waiting for a response, Dawn rushed out the door.

X

Gathering up her belongings, Cynthia headed towards the door of Riley's Café, flipping the sign to 'closed'. She looked back at Riley, and frowned. He didn't look like his normal self…

When he noticed she was leaving, Riley glanced up and forced a smile. "Thanks for helping to close shop, Cynthia," he said. "I'm going to need your help tomorrow night as well, but you won't be the only one. It's about time we decorated for Christmas, don't you think?"

"It's no problem; this place could use some Christmas spirit anyway! …Maybe I should put lights around the apartment as well… Anyway, goodnight Riley." Cynthia took one last look at him, mouth creasing slightly, before exiting the café.

As soon as she left, Riley slumped over, head hitting the counter he meticulously worked to keep clean. Rolling his head to the side, he glanced at the almost-empty cash register.

There was no denying times were hard for his café. It just wasn't pulling in customers like it used to, at least not paying ones. Riley's Café was just becoming a hang-out spot for all the regulars, who didn't even order coffee. Not that he minded their presence, but without money from sales, there would be no more "hang-out spot" for very long… And he couldn't help but think - know - that Reggie's new cyber café was partly to blame. Riley's rustic café just didn't have the appeal within the technologically-inclined world in which they lived.

He sighed, then shivered. It was cold without the fire going… But he was just so tired… Before he knew it, Riley began to doze off, thoughts wandering…

_'There has to be a way to improve business…'_

The blue-haired man had no clue how long he had been out, but was startled awake by the noise of the café door rattling. Cynthia locked it on her way out, and the sign clearly said 'closed', so who in the world could it be?

Rubbing his bleary eyes, Riley was surprised to see…

"Dawn?"

He leapt up and over his precious counter, hurrying to unlock the door and let the blunette in from the cold. Not that it was any warmer in the café…

"I didn't expect anyone to show up at the door, especially after closing time," Riley commented, stepping away from the door.

"Oh!" Dawn gasped quietly, feelings rather embarrassed. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you or anything. I know you're probably busy…" She looked down at her toes, blushing. Even after spending time in the café as often as she did, Dawn still didn't feel entirely comfortable around Riley. He just seemed so…mature. It was slightly intimidating.

"Don't worry," Riley said, grinning. "It's a good thing you showed up actually; I was beginning to doze off." He chuckled. "…So what can I do for you, Dawn?"

The blunette faltered, not exactly knowing the answer. She just wanted to see him, but telling him that would be more than awkward and embarrassing.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Riley said suddenly. "You look like you're freezing! I'll go start the fire."

"No-," Dawn started, but Riley was already at the fireplace, match in hand. Once the fire was going, the two seemed to be at a loss for words. Dawn mentally berated herself for not saying anything, but Riley came to her rescue.

"Would you like any coffee?" he asked.

"Actually…some hot chocolate would be nice…"

"Sure, coming right up!" Riley smiled and bowed before heading back behind the counter. Even off-duty, he was as charming and as hospitable as ever. It was a surprise the café didn't have more customers just to see Riley in action.

"Feel free to take a seat."

Dawn snapped out of her trance, realizing she had been standing, transfixed, in the same spot since she arrived. She nodded and walked over to the fireplace, pulling up one of the comfy chairs that Lucian often occupied.

A few minutes later, Riley brought her hot chocolate over to her, which she graciously accepted.

"I even put in some extra marshmallows, just for you."

Dawn smiled, thanking him before taking a sip and letting the soothing liquid warm her to the core. They sat in silence, Dawn staring at the marshmallows floating in her mug, Riley gazing intently at her as the flames flickered off her features, bathing her face in a warm glow.

"I ran into Cynthia on my way here," Dawn said suddenly, desiring to break the silence.

"Oh really? I'm sure she scolded you for being out in the cold so late."

The blunette giggled. "Yes… But…then I told her I was on my way to see you." She paused, blushing slightly. "She told me…you had seemed down. Is, uh, something the matter?"

Riley raised an eyebrow, surprised at, yet appreciating her concern. His dark eyes darting toward the fire, he laughed awkwardly. "You see…I haven't really talking to anyone about this. Not Cynthia, not Volkner, not any of the other employees. But I'm sure they can tell. Business…has been rough. We're just not pulling in money like we used to, and I fear for the future of the café…" He suddenly let it all pour out, all his anxieties. Riley looked back at Dawn, who was making eye contact with him for the first time. He was captivated for the moment; he wasn't sure if it was the flames or something else that made Dawn's eyes shine with… Riley couldn't exactly put a word to it, but something about the girl was different.

Shaking his head, Riley continued. "I'm just…lost. For ideas to pull in more customers I mean. I suppose this is the type of thing I should bring up to Cynthia, Damion, and Marley... Sometimes I feel like I overwork them though…" He trailed off, folding his hands in his lap.

The entire time Riley had been speaking, Dawn appeared contemplative.

"I don't know if it would help business at all but…I could work here." Riley looked startled for a moment, unsure of what to say. "For free, I mean," Dawn added. "That way, you like wouldn't have to worry about paying me, and would still have an extra helping hand. Plus I can tell all my friends around school about this place, and maybe set up some fund raisers, or something." She looked up at him and smiled brightly.

"Oh wow, Dawn. Really, you don't have to."

"No," she protested, leaning forward eagerly. "I…_want _to."

"I don't even know what to say… Just, thank you." Riley smiled warmly, and Dawn felt his warmth penetrate her deeper than the heat from the fire. She was sure she was blushing.

"It's no problem, really." Dawn glanced up at the clock above the counter. "Well, it's getting late and my mom's probably worried… I should really head home."

Riley stood, nodding. "But wait, before you go, let me get you a uniform. It's the one Damion wore his first day, but don't worry, its clean." He chuckled and headed into the back, only to return a few minutes later, outfit in hand.

"So when can you start?"

"…Tomorrow, after school."

"Perfect! And if you want to stay after, you can help decorate the shop for Christmas!"

"Sure thing! …But it's a good thing you haven't decorated yet, or we would probably be standing under the mistletoe…" Dawn's eyes looked upward at the door frame, a perfect spot to plant the parasite. Feeling her face heat up, she immediately regretted those words.

"Haha, so we would be," Riley replied humorously. He then glanced down at Dawn with a rather serious face. "…But you wouldn't complain, would you?" A mischievous twinkle appeared in his navy blue eyes as Dawn blushed madly. Instead of giving her time to reply, Riley pushed open the door to the shop, letting in a blustery wind.

"Goodnight, Dawn. And thanks again." He leaned down, lips only barely brushing her cheek.

The blunette stood there, dumbstruck until another frigid breeze brought her to her senses. "G-goodnight, Riley."

Clutching her new uniform tightly to her chest, Dawn rushed off into the cold.

* * *

**Riley, where are your manners? You should've walked the poor girl home instead of freaking her out! Oh well whatever. **

**Next time…either a slightly out of timeline-universe thing Christmas special… Or another Buck/Marley centric one. Depends on my mood.**

**Reviews are love!**


End file.
